U.S. patent number 8,998,646 [Application Number 13/581,574] was granted by the patent office on 2015-04-07 for battery connecting assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.. The grantee listed for this patent is Hiroki Hirai, Masakuni Kasugai, Ryoya Okamoto, Shinichi Takase. Invention is credited to Hiroki Hirai, Masakuni Kasugai, Ryoya Okamoto, Shinichi Takase.
United States Patent |
8,998,646 |
Okamoto , et al. |
April 7, 2015 |
Battery connecting assembly
Abstract
A battery connecting assembly includes: a power line having the
outer circumferential portion of a conductor covered with an
insulating resin and connected to electrode terminals; and a
connecting units including: a connecting member that connects the
adjacent electrode terminals to each other; and a wire mounting
portion that mounts the power line thereon along the direction of
arranging electric cells. The connecting units are coupled to each
by mounting the power line on the wire mounting portion of the
connecting units.
Inventors: |
Okamoto; Ryoya (Yokkaichi,
JP), Takase; Shinichi (Yokkaichi, JP),
Hirai; Hiroki (Yokkaichi, JP), Kasugai; Masakuni
(Yokkaichi, JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Okamoto; Ryoya
Takase; Shinichi
Hirai; Hiroki
Kasugai; Masakuni |
Yokkaichi
Yokkaichi
Yokkaichi
Yokkaichi |
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A |
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd.
(Mie, JP)
Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. (Mie, JP)
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (Osaka,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
44542165 |
Appl.
No.: |
13/581,574 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2011 |
PCT
Filed: |
March 01, 2011 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/JP2011/054569 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
August 28, 2012 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2011/108513 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
September 09, 2011 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20130161053 A1 |
Jun 27, 2013 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 3, 2010 [JP] |
|
|
2010-046824 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/627 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M
50/502 (20210101); B60L 50/66 (20190201); H01M
50/20 (20210101); H01M 50/278 (20210101); H01M
2220/20 (20130101); Y02E 60/10 (20130101); H01M
50/209 (20210101); Y02T 10/70 (20130101); H01M
50/516 (20210101); H01M 50/522 (20210101); H01M
10/482 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
24/00 (20110101); H01R 33/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;439/627,500
;174/68.1 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A1 0450122 |
|
Oct 1991 |
|
EP |
|
A-11-067184 |
|
Mar 1999 |
|
JP |
|
A-2001-057196 |
|
Feb 2001 |
|
JP |
|
A-2003-068272 |
|
Mar 2003 |
|
JP |
|
A-2004-098295 |
|
Apr 2004 |
|
JP |
|
A-2010-225449 |
|
Oct 2010 |
|
JP |
|
A-2011-008957 |
|
Jan 2011 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority issued in
Application No. PCT/JP2011/054569; Dated Jun. 14, 2011 (With
Translation). cited by applicant .
International Search Report issued in Application No.
PCT/JP2011/054569; Dated Jun. 14, 2011. cited by applicant .
Dec. 1, 2014 European Search Report issued in Application No. EP
11750623.8. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Nasri; Javaid
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff PLC
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A battery connecting assembly that connects an electric cell
group in a battery module including the electric cell group having
a plurality of electric cells with a positive electrode terminal
and a negative electrode terminal arranged, the battery connecting
assembly comprising: a power line having an outer circumferential
portion of a conductor covered with an insulating resin and
connected to the electrode terminal; a plurality of connecting
units including a connecting member that connects the adjacent
electrode terminals to each other and a wire mounting portion that
mounts the power line thereon along a direction of arranging the
electric cells; wherein the plurality of connecting units are
coupled to each other by mounting the power line on the wire
mounting portion of the plurality of connecting units; and an end
portion connecting unit including a wire connecting member
electrically connected to the power line.
2. The battery connecting assembly according to claim 1, wherein
the power line is a flat cable having a flat conductor including a
plurality of core wires contacted and arranged in parallel with
each other, the flat cable formed by covering an outer
circumferential portion of the flat conductor with an insulating
resin in a flat shape.
3. The battery connecting assembly according to claim 2, wherein
the power line is the flat cable, and mounted on the wire mounting
portion in a manner such that a surface of the flat cable in a
thickness direction is disposed so as to correspond to a terminal
forming surface on which the electrode terminal of the electric
cell is formed.
4. The battery connecting assembly according to claim 1, further
comprising a coupling member that couples two of the connecting
units disposed in a direction crossing the direction of arranging
the electric cells.
5. The battery connecting assembly according to claim 1, wherein
the connecting unit is provided with a detecting line accommodating
portion that accommodates a voltage detecting line connected to the
connecting member.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a battery connecting assembly.
BACKGROUND ART
A battery module for an electric car and a hybrid car includes an
electric cell group in which a plurality of electric cells having
positive and negative electrode terminals is arranged. The electric
cells forming the electric cell group are connected in series or in
parallel in which the electrode terminals of the adjacent electric
cells are connected using a connecting member such as a bus bar
(see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
11-67184
In assembling the battery module in the configuration above, since
it is necessary to connect the electrode terminals at a plurality
of locations using the connecting member, a complicated operation
is necessary to repeat an operation of connecting the connecting
member between the electrode terminals.
Therefore, it is considered to form a battery connection plate in
which a plurality of connecting members is arranged in a mold and a
resin is poured into the mold to integrally form the connecting
members by insert molding or the like according to the number of
gaps between electrode terminals.
With the battery connection plate, only a single battery connection
plate is mounted on a plurality of electrode terminals protruding
from a plurality of electric cells to collectively connect the
electrode terminals of the adjacent electric cells at a plurality
of locations for improving working efficiency.
However, in the case of using a battery connection plate having
connecting members integrally molded, a mold to form the battery
connection plate is increased in size and the costs are increased
when the number of electric cells becomes large. Moreover, in the
case of changing the number of electric cells, it is necessary that
a different mold having a length according to the number of
electric cells be newly prepared to mold a battery connection plate
having a different length, causing a cost increase in forming a
mold or the like. Therefore, there is a challenge in that
manufacturing costs are reduced.
For a method of solving a reduction in manufacturing costs, it can
be considered that a connecting unit having a connecting member and
an accommodating portion that accommodates the connecting member is
prepared according to the number of gaps between electrode
terminals and a connection plate having these connecting units
integrally coupled to each other is mounted on an electric cell
group. In this method, a mold for the connecting unit is prepared
and the number of the connecting units is increased according to
the number of the electric cells to be connected. Therefore, the
costs of forming the mold can be reduced.
However, when the spacing between the electrode terminals of the
adjacent electric cells is varied, misalignment sometimes occurs
between the connecting member and the electrode terminal when
mounting the connection plate in the configuration above.
Particularly in the case of mounting a connection plate having
connecting units firmly coupled to each other on an electric cell
group, it is difficult to compensate the misalignment between the
connecting member and the electrode terminal to cause a possibility
to hamper smooth mounting work.
Moreover, when electric cells forming a battery module expand and
contract in the direction of arranging the cells to increase a
variation in the spacing between the electrode terminals, it is
likely to cause a difficulty to compensate the misalignment in the
connection plate in the configuration above.
Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a battery
connecting assembly configured to simplify connection work and to
compensate the misalignment between a connecting member and an
electrode terminal to facilitate connection work while reducing
manufacturing costs.
The present invention is a battery connecting assembly that
connects an electric cell group in a battery module including the
electric cell group having a plurality of electric cells with a
positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal
arranged. The battery connecting assembly includes: a power line
having an outer circumferential portion of a conductor covered with
an insulating resin and connected to the electrode terminal; and a
plurality of connecting units including: a connecting member
connecting the adjacent electrode terminals to each other; and a
wire mounting portion mounting the power line thereon along a
direction of arranging the electric cells. The plurality of
connecting units is coupled to each other in which the power line
is mounted on the wire mounting portion of the plurality of
connecting units.
The battery connecting assembly according to the present invention
is connected to the electric cell group as described below, for
example. First, a plurality of connecting units is mounted on a
single power line. In the present invention, since the connecting
unit is formed with the wire mounting portion that mounts the power
line thereon, the connecting units are coupled and formed in a
single unit with the power line mounted on the wire mounting
portion. The coupled connecting units are placed on the electric
cell group having a plurality of electric cells arranged, and then
the power line is disposed along the direction of arranging the
electric cells. Subsequently, the connecting member is mounted on
the electrode terminal to connect the battery connecting assembly
to the electric cell group.
In other words, in the present invention, mounting the power line
on the wire mounting portion of the connecting unit can form the
connecting units in a single unit. Then, the connecting units
formed in a single unit are connected to the electric cell group to
connect the battery connecting assembly to the electric cell group.
Thus, it is possible to simplify connection work.
When the spacing between the electrode terminals of the adjacent
electric cells is varied, or when the electric cells expand and
contract in the direction of arranging the cells to increase a
variation in the spacing between the electrode terminals,
misalignment sometimes occurs between the connecting member and the
electrode terminal. However, in the present invention, since the
connecting units are coupled using the power line mounted on the
wire mounting portion, the connecting units are movable along the
power line. Consequently, according to the present invention, it is
possible to compensate the misalignment between the connecting
member and the electrode terminal, and it is possible to facilitate
the connection work of the battery connecting assembly.
Moreover, in the present invention, since the connecting units
connect the electrode terminals to each other, the number of the
connecting units maybe changed in the case of changing the number
of the electric cells to be connected. Namely, in the present
invention, even though the number of the electric cells to be
connected is increased, it is unnecessary to prepare molds whenever
the number is increased. Consequently, according to the present
invention, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a
battery connecting assembly configured to simplify connection work
and compensate the misalignment between a connecting member and an
electrode terminal to facilitate connection work while reducing
manufacturing costs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a battery module on which a battery
connecting assembly according to a first embodiment is
assembled;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a battery module on which no voltage
detecting line is mounted;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery connecting
assembly;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connecting unit;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a power line;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a battery module on which a battery
connecting assembly according to a second embodiment is
assembled;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a battery module on which no voltage
detecting line is mounted;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the battery connecting assembly;
and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a connecting unit.
EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS
1, 40: Battery module
2, 42: Electric cell group
10: Electric cell
11A: Terminal forming surface
12A: (Positive) electrode terminal
12B: (Negative) electrode terminal
20, 50: Battery connecting assembly
21, 51: Connecting unit
21A, 51A: First connecting unit
21B, 51B: End portion connecting unit
22, 52: Connecting member
22A, 22B, 52A, 52B: Terminal insertion hole
24, 54: Connecting member accommodating portion
25, 55: Detecting line accommodating portion
26, 56: Wire mounting portion
27: Coupling member mounting portion
29: Voltage detecting line
30: Power line
31: (Flat) conductor
32: Core wire
33: Insulating resin
35: Coupling member
Best Mode For Carrying Out The Invention
<First Embodiment>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.
A battery module 1 according to the present embodiment is used for
the driving source of an electric car or a hybrid car, for example,
including a battery connecting assembly 20 that connects electric
cell groups 2 in two lines as depicted in FIG. 1. In the following,
the description will be given in which based on the lateral
direction in FIG. 1, the upper side in FIG. 1 is the forward side
and the lower side is the rear side.
The electric cell group 2 includes a plurality of electric cells 10
(fourteen electric cells 10) arranged in a column from the front
side to the rear side. The electric cells 10 forming the electric
cell group 2 include a body 11 that accommodates a power generating
element, not depicted, thereinside and bolt-like electrode
terminals 12A and 12B (in the drawing, a positive electrode is the
electrode terminal 12A and a negative electrode is the electrode
terminal 12B) protruding vertically from an end surface 11A (a
terminal forming surface 11A) on the body 11.
The adjacent electrode terminals 12A and 12B of the electric cell
10 are arranged in a manner such that the polarities (positive and
negative polarities) are opposite to each other. Thus, the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B are arranged in a manner such that
different polarities are disposed adjacent to each other. The
electric cells 10 are fixed using a retainer plate, not
depicted.
The battery connecting assembly 20 includes a power line 30
connected to the electrode terminals 12A and 12B of the electric
cell 10 and a plurality of resin connecting units 21 on which the
power line 30 is mounted.
The connecting units 21 are disposed in a column in the
longitudinal direction (in the direction of arranging the electric
cells 10), and arranged in two lines for a single line of the
electric cell group 2. In this context, the connecting units 21 in
a column disposed on the right side of the electric cell group 2
are referred to as a right unit column 21C, and the connecting
units 21 in a column disposed on the left side of the electric cell
group 2 are referred to as a left unit column 21D.
A resin coupling member 35 is disposed between the right unit
column 21C and the left unit column 21D. The coupling member 35 has
a substantially S-shape, and is mounted to couple the coupling
member 35 with two connecting units 21 disposed in a direction (the
lateral direction in FIG. 1) crossing the longitudinal direction
(the direction of arranging the electric cells 10). A mounting
protrusion 36 is provided on the end portion of the coupling member
35 to be mounted on the connecting unit 21.
The right unit column 21C is formed of seven (a plurality of)
connecting units 21. Although these seven connecting units 21
forming the right unit column 21C are not joined to each other, the
connecting units 21 are coupled using the power line 30 and formed
in a single unit. The seven connecting units 21 forming the right
unit column 21C have the same shape and the same size. In the
present embodiment, the connecting units 21 are referred to as a
first connecting unit 21A.
The left unit column 21D is formed of eight (a plurality of)
connecting units 21. These eight connecting units 21 forming the
left unit column 21D are not joined to each other, and not coupled
using the power line 30. The connecting units 21B disposed at the
front end and the rear end in these eight connecting units 21
forming the left unit column 21D (referred to as an end portion
connecting unit 21B) are in the size almost a half of the size of
the first connecting unit 21A, and connects the electrode terminals
12A and 12B disposed at the front end and the rear end to the power
line 30. In the connecting units 21 forming the left unit column
21D, six connecting units 21 other than the two end portion
connecting units 21B have the same shape and the same size as the
first connecting unit 21A, and these connecting units 21 are also
referred to as the first connecting unit 21A.
The first connecting unit 21A includes a connecting member 22 that
has a substantially rectangular shape and electrically connects the
adjacent electrode terminals 12A and 12B to each other, a voltage
detecting line 29 that measures the voltage of the electric cell
10, and a base portion 23 that accommodates the connecting member
22 and the voltage detecting line 29.
The connecting member 22 is made of metal such as copper, copper
alloy, and stainless steel (SUS). The connecting member 22 is
formed with two terminal insertion holes 22A and 228 into which the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B are inserted. The voltage detecting
line 29 is connected to the connecting member 22 by welding.
Although not depicted in detail in the drawing, the voltage
detecting line 29 is a cladded wire with a conductor (a core wire)
is covered with an insulating layer, in which the insulating layer
is stripped to expose the core wire at the terminal of the voltage
detecting line 29 (the connecting portion to the connecting member
22). The voltage detecting lines 29 are gathered in the detecting
line accommodating portion 25, and connected to a battery ECU, not
depicted. This battery ECU is a device having a microcomputer, a
device, or the like mounted thereon, in the known configuration
having a function to detect the voltage, electric current, and
temperature of the electric cell 10 and controls the charging and
discharging of the electric cell 10, for example.
The base portion 23 is made of a synthetic resin, and placed across
the adjacent electric cells 10 as depicted in FIG. 1. The base
portion 23 includes a connecting member accommodating portion 24
that accommodates the connecting member 22, a detecting line
accommodating portion 25 provided as sandwiching the connecting
member accommodating portion 24, and a wire mounting portion 26.
The connecting member accommodating portion 24, the detecting line
accommodating portion 25, and the wire mounting portion 26 are
formed by integrally molding a synthetic resin.
The connecting member accommodating portion 24 has a rectangular
region surrounded by side walls 24A, 24B, and 24C, which
accommodates the connecting member 22. The connecting member 22 is
accommodated in the connecting member accommodating portion 24 to
hold the connecting member 22.
The dimension of the connecting member accommodating portion 24 in
the longitudinal direction is slightly smaller than the dimension
of two electric cells 10 in the crosswise direction. Therefore, a
slight gap is provided between the connecting units 21 in arranging
the connecting units 21.
The height of the side walls 24A and 24B formed on the connecting
member accommodating portion 24 in the longitudinal direction is
higher than the height of the side wall 24C formed in the crosswise
direction. In the side walls 24A and 24B formed in the longitudinal
direction, the side wall 24A on the near side in FIG. 4 has a
function to protect the voltage detecting line 29 as a part of the
detecting line accommodating portion 25. The side wall 24B on the
back side in FIG. 4 has a function to clamp the power line 30 as a
part of the wire mounting portion 26.
A detecting line insertion hole 24E is provided at the lower end
portion of the side wall 24A of the connecting member accommodating
portion 24, into which the voltage detecting line 29 is inserted. A
coupling member mounting portion 27 protrudes at the side wall 24B
of the connecting member accommodating portion 24 to mount the
coupling member 35 thereon. It is noted that as depicted in FIG. 3,
the coupling member mounting portion 27 is formed with a mounting
hole 27A to which the mounting protrusion 36 provided on the
coupling member 35 is fit.
As depicted in FIG. 4, the detecting line accommodating portion 25
is formed at a location continuing to the top end surface of the
side wall 24C of the connecting member accommodating portion 24 in
the crosswise direction, and a protection wall 25A is formed on
both sides of the detecting line accommodating portion 25 in the
crosswise direction to protect the voltage detecting line 29.
As depicted in FIG. 4, the wire mounting portion 26 is formed of
the side wall 24B on the back side of the connecting member
accommodating portion 24 and a portion 26B (a clamping part 26B)
formed at substantially the same height of a portion 26A that
continues from this side wall 243 and is a higher portion of the
side wall 243. The power line 30 is mounted as sandwiched between
the side wall 24B (26A) and the clamping part 263. Two ribs 26C and
26C are provided on the inner side of the clamping part 263 so as
to prevent the power line 30 from going to the upper side.
The end portion connecting unit 21B is different from the first
connecting unit 21A in that the end portion connecting unit 218
includes a wire connecting member 28 that electrically connects the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B at the end portions to the power
line 30, instead of the connecting member 22 connecting two
electrode terminals 12A and 12B to each other and that the wire
mounting portion 26 is not provided. The wire connecting member 28
is formed with one terminal insertion hole 28A, into which the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B at the end portions are
inserted.
The wire connecting member 28 of the end portion connecting unit
21B disposed at the rear end (the lower side in FIG. 1) is
vertically bent in the direction of the right unit column 21C, and
connected to the power line 30. The other configurations of the end
portion connecting unit 21B are almost the same as the first
connecting unit 21A.
As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the power line 30 mounted on the
connecting unit 21 extends in the direction of arranging the
electric cells 10 (in the vertical direction in FIG. 1), and
couples the first connecting units 21 forming the right unit column
21C of the electric cell group 2.
As depicted in FIG. 5, the power line 30 is formed by covering the
outer circumference of a conductor 31 with an insulating resin 32.
At the end portion of the power line 30, the wire connecting member
28 is connected to the exposed conductor 31. In the present
embodiment, the conductor 31 is the flat conductor 31 having a
plurality of core wires 32 arranged in parallel with each other in
the lateral direction in FIG. 5. In the present embodiment, the
core wire 32 is a stranded wire formed of a plurality of fine metal
lines (not depicted) stranded with each other. For the fine metal
line, given metal such as copper, copper alloy, aluminum, and
aluminum alloy can be used, as necessary. In the present
embodiment, the core wires 32 are arranged in a line in the lateral
direction. However, the core wires 32 may be arranged in a
plurality of stages in the vertical direction, not limited to the
one-line arrangement.
The power line 30 according to the present embodiment is a flat
cable formed of the flat conductor 31 covered with the insulating
resin 33 in a flat shape. In the present embodiment, the power line
30 is mounted on the wire mounting portion 26 of the connecting
unit 21 in which surfaces 30D in the thickness direction (right and
left surfaces 30D in FIG. 5) face the terminal forming surface 11A
of the electric cell 10. The power line 30 is arranged in a manner
such that the power line 30 is bent almost vertically as a flat
surface 30E is provided on the inner side at a location between the
adjacent unit columns 21C and 21D.
The front end portion of the power line 30 (referred to as a first
power line 30A) mounted on the right unit column 21C of the
electric cell group 2 on the right side in FIG. 1 (the right
electric cell group 2) is connectable to a counter terminal, not
depicted. The rear end portion of the first power line 30A is
connected to the wire connecting member 28 of the end portion
connecting unit 21B at the rear end of the left unit column
21D.
One end portion of the power line 30 (referred to as a second power
line 30B) mounted on the electric cell group 2 on the left side in
FIG. 1 (the left electric cell group 2) is connected to the wire
connecting member 28 of the end portion connecting unit 213 at the
front end of the right electric cell group 2. The power line 30 is
bent in a substantially U-shape between the right electric cell
group 2 and the left electric cell group 2, and mounted on the
right unit column 21C of the left electric cell group 2. The other
end portion of the second power line 30B is bent in an L-shape at
the rear end of the left electric cell group 2, and connected to
the wire connecting member 28 of the end portion connecting unit
213 at the rear end of the left unit column 21D. The end portion of
the power line 30 (referred to as a third power line 30C) is
connected to the end portion connecting unit 21B at the front end
of the left unit column 21D of the left electric cell group 2.
Next, a method of assembling and mounting the battery connecting
assembly 20 according to the present embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 1, the configuration
will be described where fourteen electric cells 10 are connected in
two lines in series.
Twenty-eight electric cells 10 are prepared, and fourteen electric
cells 10 are arranged with the terminal forming surface 11A thereof
on the upper side to prepare two lines of the electric cell groups
2.
In one line of the electric cell group 2, seven first connecting
units 21A are mounted on the electrode terminals 12A and 12B
arranged on the right side, and two end portion connecting units
21B and six first connecting units 21A are mounted on the electrode
terminals 12A and 12B arranged on the left side. Therefore,
twenty-six first connecting units 21A and four end portion
connecting units 21B are prepared.
Subsequently, seven first connecting units 21A are arranged in the
vertical direction in the same orientation, the power line 30 is
mounted on the wire mounting portion 26 of the first connecting
unit 21A, and then the right unit column 21C having seven first
connecting units 21A coupled with each other is obtained. Two sets
of the right unit columns 21C are prepared.
Subsequently, the front end portion connecting unit 21B and six
first connecting units 21A are arranged in the vertical direction,
and the connecting units 21A and 21B and the connecting units 21
forming the right unit column 21C are coupled to each other and
formed in a single unit by mounting the coupling member 35. The
coupling member 35 can be mounted by fitting the mounting
protrusion 36 of the coupling member 35 into the mounting hole 27A
of the connecting unit 21. Two sets of the connecting units 21
formed in a single unit are prepared.
The connecting units 21 formed in a single unit is disposed on the
top surface of the electric cell group 2 in which the terminal
insertion holes 22A and 22B of the connecting member 22 correspond
to the electrode terminals 12A and 12B, and then the power line 30
mounted on the connecting unit 21 is arranged along the direction
of arranging the electric cells 10 (see FIG. 2). The end portion
connecting unit 21B at the rear end is disposed at the same time or
before or after the connecting unit 21 formed in a single unit is
disposed on the electric cell group 2.
Subsequently, the first power line 30 and the second power line 30
are arranged to be bent in a predetermined shape, and connected to
the wire connecting member 28 of a predetermined end portion
connecting unit 21B.
Subsequently, the voltage detecting line 29 is individually
connected to the connecting units 21, and the connected voltage
detecting line 29 is inserted into the detecting line insertion
hole 24E and lead to the side of the detecting line accommodating
portion 25. The voltage detecting line 29 lead to the side of the
detecting line accommodating portion 25 is disposed in the
detecting line accommodating portion 25.
Subsequently, a nut 13 is screwed and fastened to the electrode
terminals 12A and 12B inserted into the terminal insertion holes
22A and 22B to connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B to the
connecting member 22, and a nut 13 is screwed and fastened to the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B inserted into the terminal
insertion hole 28A to connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B
to the wire connecting member 28. After completing this connection
work, the battery connecting assembly 20 according to the present
embodiment is connected to the electric cell group 2, and the
battery module 1 is completed.
Next, the operation and the effect of the present embodiment will
be described.
According to the present embodiment, mounting the power line 30 on
the wire mounting portion 26 of the connecting unit 21 can couple
and form the connecting units 21 in a single unit. Then, the
connecting units 21 formed in a single unit are connected to the
electric cell group 2 to connect the battery connecting assembly 20
to the electric cell group 2. Thus, it is possible to simplify the
connection work.
When the spacing between the adjacent electrode terminals 12A and
12B of the electric cell 10 is varied, or when the electric cells
10 expand and contract in the direction of arranging the cells to
increase a variation in the spacing between the electrode terminals
12A and 12B, misalignment sometimes occurs between the connecting
member 22 and the electrode terminals 12A and 12B.
However, in the present embodiment, since the connecting units 21
(the first connecting units 21A) forming the right unit column 21C
are coupled using the power line 30 mounted on the wire mounting
portion 26, the connecting units 21 are movable along the power
line 30. Moreover, the connecting units 21 (the first connecting
units 21A and the end portion connecting unit 21B) forming the left
unit column 21D are not joined to each other. Therefore, according
to the present embodiment, even though misalignment occurs between
the connecting member 22 and the electrode terminals 12A and 12B as
described above, it is possible to compensate the misalignment, and
it is possible to facilitate the connection work of the battery
connecting assembly 20.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the connecting units
21 connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B to each other, the
number of the connecting units 21 may be changed in the case of
changing the number of the electric cells 10 to be connected.
Namely, in the present embodiment, molds for the first connecting
unit 21A and the end portion connecting unit 21B may be prepared to
use the connecting units 21A and 21B prepared using the molds.
Therefore, even though the number of the electric cells 10 to be
connected is increased, it is unnecessary to prepare molds whenever
the number is increased. Consequently, according to the present
embodiment, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs.
Moreover, according to the present embodiment, the power line 30 is
a flat cable having a flat conductor 31. The flat cable is formed
by covering the outer circumferential portion of the flat conductor
31 with the insulating resin 33 in a flat shape. The flat conductor
31 is formed of the core wires 32 contacted and arranged in
parallel with each other. Thus, power transmission ability is
excellent, and heat dissipation property is excellent because the
area to contact with the outside air is large.
The flat cable 30 used as the power line 30 in the present
embodiment can be easily bent in the flat surface 30E. However, it
is difficult to bend the flat cable 30 as the surface 30D in the
thickness direction is disposed on the inner side. In the present
embodiment, the power line 30 is mounted in a manner such that the
surface 30D of the flat cable 30 in the thickness direction
corresponds to the terminal forming surface 11A. Thus, it is
possible to increase stiffness in the vertical direction (in the
direction vertical to the terminal forming surface 11A).
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the flat surface 30E
of the flat cable 30, which is easily bent, is bent to arrange the
power line 30, the arrangement of the power line 30 is
facilitated.
Moreover, according to the present embodiment, the coupling member
35 is provided to couple two connecting units 21 disposed in the
direction crossing the direction of arranging the electric cells
10. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the connecting units 21
forming the right unit column 21C in a single unit with the power
line 30 mounted are coupled to the connecting units 21 forming the
left unit column 21D by mounting the coupling member 35. Thus, the
right unit column 21C and the left unit column 21D can be formed in
a single unit. Consequently, according to the present embodiment,
it is possible to facilitate forming the right unit column 21C
coupled using the power line 30 and the left unit column 21D not
coupled using the power line 30 in a single unit.
Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the
connecting unit 21 is provided with the detecting line
accommodating portion 25 that accommodates the voltage detecting
line 29 connected to the connecting member 22, it is possible to
facilitate the arrangement of the voltage detecting line 29.
<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.
The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in
that a flat surface 30E of a power line 30 is arranged so as to
correspond to a terminal forming surface 11A and that no coupling
member 35 is provided, for example (see FIG. 6). Portions similarly
configured as in the first embodiment are designated the same
reference numerals and signs, and the overlapping description is
omitted.
A battery connected module 40 according to the present embodiment
includes a battery connecting assembly 50 that connects an electric
cell group 42 in a line having a plurality of (twenty-eight)
electric cells 10 arranged in a column from the front side to the
rear side. In the following, the description will be given in which
based on the lateral direction in FIG. 6, the upper side in FIG. 6
is the forward side and the lower side is the rear side.
As depicted in FIG. 7, the battery connecting assembly 50 includes
a power line 30 connected to electrode terminals 12A and 12B of the
electric cell 10 and a plurality of connecting units 51.
The connecting units 51 are disposed in a column in the
longitudinal direction (in the direction of arranging the electric
cells 10). In this context, the connecting units 51 in a column
disposed on the right side of the electric cell group 42 are
referred to as a right unit column 51C, and the connecting units 51
in a column disposed on the left side of the electric cell group 42
are referred to as a left unit column 51D.
The right unit column 51C is formed of fifteen (a plurality of)
connecting units 51. The connecting units 51 forming the right unit
column 51C are not joined to each other. However, the connecting
units 51 are coupled using the power line 30, and formed in a
single unit.
In the connecting units 51 forming the right unit column 51C, the
connecting units 51 disposed at the front end and the rear end
(referred to as end portion connecting units 51B) are in the size
almost a half of the size of another connecting unit 51A, and
connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B disposed at the front
end and the rear end to the power line 30. In the connecting units
51 forming the right unit column 51C, thirteen connecting units 51A
other than two end portion connecting units 51B have the same shape
and the same size. In the present embodiment, the connecting units
51A are referred to as first connecting units 51A.
The left unit column 51D is formed of fourteen (a plurality of)
connecting units 51. The connecting units 51 forming the left unit
column 51D are not joined to each other, and not coupled using the
power line 30. The connecting units 51 forming the left unit column
51D have the same shape and the same size as the first connecting
units 51A forming the right unit column 51C (also referred to as
the first connecting units 51A).
The first connecting unit 51A includes a connecting member 52 that
has a substantially rectangular shape and electrically connects the
adjacent electrode terminals 12A and 12B to each other, a voltage
detecting line 29 that measures the voltage of the electric cell
10, and a base portion 53 that accommodates the connecting member
52 and the voltage detecting line 29.
As depicted in FIG. 9, the base portion 53 includes a connecting
member accommodating portion 54 that accommodates the connecting
member 52 and a wire mounting portion 56 that mounts the power line
30 thereon. The connecting member accommodating portion 54 and the
wire mounting portion 56 are formed by integrally molding a
synthetic resin.
The connecting member accommodating portion 54 has a rectangular
region surrounded by wall portions, which accommodates the
connecting member 52, and a side wall 54A of the connecting member
accommodating portion 54 in the longitudinal direction is provided
with a detecting line insertion groove 54E that leads the voltage
detecting line 29 connected to the connecting member 52. The
detecting line insertion groove 54E is provided so as to connect
the connecting member accommodating portion 54 to the wire mounting
portion 56, and the voltage detecting line 29 lead from the
detecting line insertion groove 54E is disposed on the power line
30 mounted on the wire mounting portion 56 (see FIG. 6). In the
present embodiment, the wire mounting portion 56 also includes a
function as the detecting line accommodating portion 25.
The wire mounting portion 56 provided on the near side in FIG. 9 is
formed of a pair of clamping parts 56A and 56A to hold the power
line 30 in the crosswise direction, and the power line 30 is
mounted as sandwiched between the clamping parts 56A and 56A. Inner
side of the pair of the clamping parts 56A and 56A, a rib 56C that
holds the power line 30 to prevent the power line 30 from going off
to the length direction and a pair of retaining projections 56B and
56B that retain the power line 30 so as not to go off to the upper
side are provided.
The end portion connecting unit 51B is different from the first
connecting unit 51A in that the end portion connecting unit 51B
includes a wire connecting member 58 that electrically connects the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B at the end portions to the power
line 30 instead of the connecting member 52. The wire connecting
member 58 is formed with one terminal insertion hole 58A into which
the electrode terminals 12A and 12B at the end portions are
inserted. The other configurations are almost the same as the first
connecting unit 51A.
As depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7, the power line 30 mounted on the
connecting unit 51 extends in the direction of arranging the
electric cells 10 (in the vertical direction in FIG. 6) to couple
the connecting units 51 (the first connecting unit 51A and the end
portion connecting unit 51B) forming the right unit column 51D of
the electric cell group 42.
In the present embodiment, the power line 30 is a flat cable
similarly configured as the power line 30 described in the first
embodiment, and the power line 30 is mounted on the wire mounting
portion 56 of the connecting unit 51 in a manner such that the flat
surface 30E corresponds to the terminal forming surface 11A of the
electric cell 10.
The front end portion of the power line 30 forming the right unit
column 51C in a single unit (referred to as a fourth power line
30F) is connectable to a counter terminal, not depicted, and the
rear end portion of the fourth power line 30F is connected to the
wire connecting member 58 of the end portion connecting unit 51B at
the rear end of the right unit column 51C.
The power line 30 connected to the end portion connecting unit 51B
of the right unit column 51C (referred to as a fifth power line
30G) is connectable to a counter terminal, not depicted.
Next, a method of assembling and mounting the battery connecting
assembly 50 according to the present embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 6, the case will be
described where twenty-eight electric cells 10 are connected in a
line in series.
Twenty-eight electric cells 10 are prepared, and the electric cells
10 are arranged with the terminal forming surface 11A on the upper
side to prepare the electric cell group 42 in a line.
Two end portion connecting units 51B and thirteen first connecting
units 51A are mounted on the electrode terminals 12A and 12B
arranged on the right side of the electric cell group 42, and
fourteen first connecting units 51A are mounted on the electrode
terminals 12A and 12B arranged on the left side of the electric
cell group 42. Therefore, twenty-seven first connecting units 51A
and two end portion connecting units 51B are prepared.
Subsequently, the connecting units 51 are arranged in the vertical
direction so as to arrange thirteen first connecting units 51A
between two end portion connecting units 51B, the fourth power line
30F is mounted on the wire mounting portion 56 of the front end
portion connecting unit 51B and the wire mounting portion 56 of the
first connecting unit 51A, and then one end portion connecting unit
51B is coupled to the thirteen first connecting units 51A.
Subsequently, the end portion of the fourth power line 30F is
connected to the wire connecting member 58 of the end portion
connecting unit 51B at the rear end, the fifth power line 30G is
connected to the wire connecting member 58 of the end portion
connecting unit 51B at the front end, and then the right unit
column 51C is obtained. The right unit column 51C is disposed on
the top surface of the electric cell group 42 with terminal
insertion holes 52A and 52B of the connecting member 52
corresponded to the electrode terminals 12A and 12B, and then the
fourth power line 30F mounted on the connecting unit 51 is arranged
along the direction of arranging the electric cells 10 (see FIG.
7).
Subsequently, the voltage detecting line 29 is individually
connected to the connecting units 51, and the connected voltage
detecting line 29 is lead from the detecting line insertion groove
54E to the wire mounting portion 56. The voltage detecting line 29
lead to the wire mounting portion 56 is disposed on the power line
30.
Subsequently, fourteen first connecting units 51A are disposed on
the electrode terminals 12A and 12B arranged on the left side of
the electric cell group 42, the voltage detecting line 29 is
individually connected to the connecting units 51, and the
connected voltage detecting line 29 is lead from the wire insertion
groove 54E to the wire mounting portion 56. The voltage detecting
line 29 lead to the wire mounting portion 56 is disposed on the
wire mounting portion 56.
Subsequently, a nut 13 is screwed and fastened to the electrode
terminals 12A and 12B inserted into the terminal insertion holes
52A and 52B to connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B to the
connecting member 52. A nut 13 is screwed and fastened to the
electrode terminals 12A and 12B inserted into the terminal
insertion hole 58A to connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B
to the wire connecting member 58. After completing this connection
work, the battery connecting assembly 50 according to the present
embodiment is connected to the electric cell group 42, and the
battery module 40 is completed.
Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be
described.
According to the present embodiment, as similar to the first
embodiment, mounting the power line 30 on the wire mounting portion
56 of the connecting unit 51 can couple and form the connecting
units 51 (the first connecting unit 51A and the end portion
connecting unit 51B) in a single unit. Then, the connecting units
51 formed in a single unit are connected to the electric cell group
42 to connect the battery connecting assembly 50 to the electric
cell group 42. Thus, it is possible to simplify connection
work.
Moreover, in the present embodiment, the connecting units 51 are
coupled using the power line 30 through the wire mounting portion
56, and the connecting units 51 are movable along the power line
30. Thus, it is possible to compensate the misalignment between the
connecting member 52 and the electrode terminals 12A and 12B.
Consequently, it is possible to facilitate connection work.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the connecting units
51 connect the electrode terminals 12A and 12B to each other, the
number of the connecting units 51 may be changed in the case of
changing the number of the electric cells 10 to be connected.
Namely, in the present embodiment, molds for the first connecting
unit 51A and the end portion connecting unit 51B may be prepared to
use the connecting units 51A and 51B prepared using the molds.
Thus, even though the number of the electric cells 10 to be
connected is increased, it is unnecessary to prepare molds whenever
the number is increased. Consequently, according to the present
embodiment, it is possible to reduce manufacturing costs.
Moreover, according to the present embodiment, since the power line
30 is a flat cable, power transmission ability is excellent, and
heat dissipation property is excellent because the area to contact
with the outside air is large.
Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the
connecting unit 51 also includes a function that the wire mounting
portion 56 accommodates the voltage detecting line 29, it is
possible to simplify the structure of the connecting unit 51.
<Other Embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described
with reference to the description above and the drawings. For
example, the following embodiments are also included in the
technical scope of the present invention.
(1) In the aforementioned embodiments, a flat cable is shown as the
power line. However, the power line may be a power line in a
substantially circular shape in the cross sectional form, for
example.
(2) In the aforementioned embodiments, the battery module using
twenty-eight electric cells is depicted. However, the number of the
electric cells may be any numbers as long as the number is two or
more.
It is noted that according to the present invention, since the
battery connecting assembly is formed of a plurality of connecting
units, the battery connecting assembly can cope with also in the
case of changing the number of the electric cells to be connected
when the number of the connecting units is changed. Thus, the
battery connecting assembly is applicable to various types of
battery modules. Consequently, it is possible to reduce
manufacturing costs.
(3) In the aforementioned embodiments, the electric cell group in a
line and the electric cell group in two lines are shown as the
electric cell group. However, the electric cell group may have
three columns or more.
The disclosed technique is a battery connecting assembly that
connects an electric cell group in a battery module including the
electric cell group having a plurality of electric cells with a
positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal
arranged. The battery connecting assembly includes: a power line
having an outer circumferential portion of a conductor covered with
an insulating resin and connected to the electrode terminal; and a
plurality of connecting units including: a connecting member that
connects the adjacent electrode terminals to each other; and a wire
mounting portion that mounts the power line thereon along a
direction of arranging the electric cells. The plurality of
connecting units is coupled to each other by mounting the power
line on the wire mounting portion of the plurality of connecting
units.
The battery connecting assembly according to this technique is
connected to the electric cell group as described below, for
example. First, a plurality of connecting units is mounted on a
single power line. In this technique, since the connecting unit is
formed with the wire mounting portion that mounts the power line
thereon, the connecting units are coupled and formed in a single
unit with the power line mounted on the wire mounting portion. The
coupled connecting units are placed on the electric cell group
having a plurality of electric cells arranged, and then the power
line is disposed along the direction of arranging the electric
cells. Subsequently, the connecting member is mounted on the
electrode terminal to connect the battery connecting assembly to
the electric cell group.
In other words, in this technique, mounting the power line on the
wire mounting portion of the connecting unit can form the
connecting units in a single unit. Then, the connecting units
formed in a single unit are connected to the electric cell group to
connect the battery connecting assembly to the electric cell group.
Thus, it is possible to simplify connection work.
When the spacing between the electrode terminals of the adjacent
electric cells is varied, or when the electric cells expand and
contract in the direction of arranging the cells to increase a
variation in the spacing between the electrode terminals,
misalignment sometimes occurs between the connecting member and the
electrode terminal. However, in this technique, since the
connecting units are coupled using the power line mounted on the
wire mounting portion, the connecting units are movable along the
power line. Consequently, according to this technique, it is
possible to compensate the misalignment between the connecting
member and the electrode terminal, and it is possible to facilitate
the connection work of the battery connecting assembly.
Moreover, in this technique, since the connecting units connect the
electrode terminals to each other, the number of the connecting
units may be changed in the case of changing the number of the
electric cells to be connected. Namely, in this technique, even
though the number of the electric cells to be connected is
increased, it is unnecessary to prepare molds whenever the number
is increased. Consequently, according to this technique, it is
possible to reduce manufacturing costs.
This technique may include the following configuration.
The power line may be a flat cable having a flat conductor includes
a plurality of core wires contacted and arranged in parallel with
each other, the flat cable formed by covering an outer
circumferential portion of the flat conductor with an insulating
resin in a flat shape.
With this configuration, the flat cable is preferable due to
excellent power transmission ability and excellent heat dissipation
property because the area to contact with the outside air is large.
Moreover, with this configuration, since the power line is in a
flat shape, it is possible to facilitate the arrangement of the
power line because bending the power line is easy.
The power line may be the flat cable, and may be mounted on the
wire mounting portion in a manner such that a surface of the flat
cable in a thickness direction is disposed so as to correspond to a
terminal forming surface on which the electrode terminal of the
electric cell is formed.
It is difficult to bend the flat cable with the surface in the
thickness direction is disposed on the inner side. Thus, with this
configuration, it is possible to increase stiffness in the
direction vertical to the terminal forming surface of the electric
cell.
The battery connecting assembly may include a coupling member that
couples two of the connecting units disposed in a direction
crossing the direction of arranging the electric cells.
For example, in the case where the connecting units are connected
in two lines along the direction of arranging the electric cells as
depicted in FIG. 1, the configuration as described above enables
the connecting units in two lines to be formed in a single unit by
mounting the power line individually on the connecting units to
form one column of the connecting units in a single unit and by
mounting the coupling member on one column of the connecting units
and on the other column of the connecting units to couple the
connecting units to each other.
The connecting unit maybe provided with a detecting line
accommodating portion that accommodates a voltage detecting line
connected to the connecting member. With this configuration, it is
possible to facilitate the arrangement of the voltage detecting
line.
* * * * *